"There's a magic about him which is not about being in your 20s and 30s.

"We don't consider the Wizard of Oz or Father Christmas to be too old. They're still magical characters, and the fact they've been around the block only adds to their magic."

Peter and Jenna Coleman, who plays the Doctor's sidekick Clara Oswald, were given a rousing reception from thousands of ‘Whovians’, who descended on Cardiff on Thursday, for the premiere of the first episode, entitled 'Deep Breath'.

Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman

The pair hit the red carpet for what will be a whirlwind tour of five continents over the course of 12 days, to promote the new series.